Almost there
Traveling is no longer the same.
It's amazing how difficult things have gotten because of the pandemic.
There are many factors to consider that did not exist before.
As I mentioned in my last post, August 9 forced me to reconsider my existence and I knew that my time in Indonesia had come to an end. Since then I started looking for a way to return home, to return to Mexico.
It has been almost a month of great challenges. First, the collapse of my finances. Second, my last visa extension expires on September 22nd. Third, airline ticket prices kept rising as the deadline for my departure date approached. I kept finding airports that require the vaccine, and not just any vaccine, they have a list of those approved for each country.
As a foreigner in Indonesia I do not have access to vaccines, how strange is it? Only Indonesian citizens and legal residents can get vaccinated. This was the hardest part of the last almost 4 weeks. I searched dozens of routes, checked dozens of airlines, countries, embassies, and travel related websites. I sent a lot of emails and spoke to a lot of people on the phone.
For me, and anyone traveling without vaccination, the main international connection points to leave Southeast Asia were closed, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Seol, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Qatar, Amsterdam, all of them require you to be vaccinated.
Bali International Airport has been closed for months and only domestic flights are allowed. For this reason, I need a ticket to get out of Bali and first get to Jakarta, the capital, where the only international airport in Indonesia operates.
From Jakarta I needed one more ticket to leave Indonesia and take me to Mexico. After so long searching I finally found a way out that works for a Mexican citizen who travels without a vaccine.
I was able to find the following itinerary: Jakarta - Dubai - Barcelona - Mexico flying with Emirates.
With the funds raised until the weekend I was able to buy this ticket, the most expensive. I already received the confirmation leaving on the 17th and arriving on September 18 in Mexico City as seen here.
(It does not show the stopover in Barcelona, but 1 stop between Dubai and Mexico is stipulated)
In a sense I can say ... ALMOST THERE!
But not yet, I am in the final stretch of the race.
We almost did it thanks to many of you. Thanks to all those who have responded to my S.O.S. my call for help, who in solidarity and empathy, have supported me. I am very grateful to my family, relatives, friends, people I hardly know and some that I have not even had the pleasure of meeting, who in different ways have contributed to my return home safe and sound.
But I still need a final push. I still have to buy the first flight out of Bali and also pay all the baggage fees for both legs of the trip.
If you have already contributed to the cause, please consider posting my last post. Go to this page, copy and paste the link on your social networks. I'm sure that sharing it and giving it a little exposure will be enough of a boost to finish the race. First God this week we complete what is missing, it is already less.
To all the charitable souls who have donated for my well-being I say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. Their names have been written here to honor their love and friendship, their empathy and solidarity, their kindness and charity for all to see and for me to remember.
(If your name is missing, please let me know)
